Electronic gaming machines (“EGMs”) are generally well known and have been relatively popular, and profitable, for a number of years. Such machines can be configured to offer a variety of casino or entertainment games, including for example, mechanical or electromechanical slot-type matching games, video games or electronic casino games, such as video poker, blackjack, keno, roulette, etc. As is generally known, such machines can accept wagers and compute a random game outcome from a group of potential outcomes. Some random outcomes can include both predetermined winning and non-winning/losing outcomes, with winning outcomes paying a multiple of a wager back to the player and non-winning outcomes paying nothing.
As is generally known, the nature and format of such games have certain limitations with respect to the number and presentation of winning and non-winning outcomes. In particular, the outcome of matching type-slot games is typically determined by evaluating whether certain predetermined configurations of game elements or symbols are selected and presented relative one another. For example, winning outcomes are usually produced when a set of identical symbols are presented in horizontal and/or vertical alignment across the game array. In light of such limitations, the number of possible outcomes, and possible winning outcomes in particular, is largely limited by the random selection of fixed game elements.
It has been recognized that due to such limitations, player interest in such games can decrease over a period of time which may result in certain players discontinuing play of the game and/or declining to play such games again in the future. In settings where players are allowed to place wagers on the outcome of such games and such wagers generate revenue for the establishment or operator, it is generally undesirable to have a game that is not frequently played. Hence, there are on-going needs to try to bring play variations to the audience of players in order to sustain their interest and desire to continue playing.
Accordingly, it is desirable to offer players incentives to continue to play by making them more exciting and/or offering configurations which present the player with greater opportunity and perceived chances of winning. As will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art, embodiments presented herein address these objectives.